Oakland residents are bracing themselves for the first storm blast of the season, which is expected to touch down tonight, dumping rain across the Bay Area and bringing high winds of up to 55 mph until late Tuesday.

Customers at local hardware stores have been buying tarps, batteries, flashlights, sandbags and other supplies in preparation for the impending rainfall and high wind warning issued by the National Weather Service.

The Public Works Department handed out 300 sandbags by 8 a.m. today and another 1,200 by midafternoon, according to John Alderson, an operations manager with the agency. Workers started delivering sandbags to the city’s fire stations midmorning. The agency had to call in additional Public Works employees to make more sandbags.

The agency is providing up to 20 sandbags and 50 feet of plastic sheeting per family or business at no cost from the Public Works Municipal Service Center, 7101 Edgewater Drive, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and throughout the winter. Supplies are also available from the Public Works Maintenance Office at 5921 Shepherd Canyon Road.

The city is asking anyone aware of hazardous conditions such as felled trees and clogged storm drains to telephone the Public Works call center at 510-615-5566.

Call 911 in the case of an emergency. To report a power outage call the PG&E hot line at 800-743-5002.

As part of its “Adopt a Spot” program, the city is asking for volunteers to oversee municipal facilities such as storm drains and public parks to call 510-238-7630.

During the hazardous weather conditions, extra caution is advised for motorists.

The storm is expected to taper off by Wednesday evening, but showers still are likely, according to the National Weather Service. Sunny weather is expected to return by Thursday morning and last through Sunday.

Otto Warmbier was arrested in January 2016 at the end of a brief tourist visit to North Korea. He had been medically evacuated and was being treated at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center when he died at age 22.